In the die-stamping of coins or similar flat objects having the outline of a regular polygon it is necessary to insure proper orientation of each blank relative to the embossing dies. When the press includes a retainer in the form of a collar or bushing of correspondingly polygonal inner periphery in which the blank is seated while being embossed, each blank must be delivered to the retainer in the proper angular position so as to be receivable therein; the arrival of an incorrectly oriented blank at the retainer would jam the mechanism. The use of specially designed grippers reciprocating between the press and a stack of fresh blanks solves the problem of orientation, yet such a conventional feeding system operates at a rather slow rate of not more than about 200 press cycles per minute.
Another known solution resides in the provision of a turntable with polygonal cutouts into which the stacked blanks drop one by one from above for successive transportation to the die press. Such a system, however, does not permit a significant acceleration of the operating rate since the dropping of each blank into an aligned cutout requires a certain time.
Still another prior-art feeding system utilizes a turntable with cutouts in the form of outwardly open recesses into which the blanks are inserted by a radially moving slider; the latter is flanked by resilient cheeks designed to orient each blank in the proper angular position for introduction into a confronting recess. These recesses, too, are bounded by resilient segments designed to hold each blank in its insertion position during transportation to the die press. Here, again, reliable operation designed to avoid jamming or breakages requires the feed rate and therefore the number of press cycles per minute to be limited to hardly more than the aforementioned maximum; this is partly due to the fact that the rotary speed of the turntable must be kept low enough to minimize centrifugal forces which would tend to dislodge the blanks from their recesses.